This disclosure is generally directed to a beverage making apparatus or brewer with controls to control the flow of water and methods of brewing and using the brewer with controls. The beverage making apparatus includes a liquid basin for receiving a liquid and is placed in communication with the basin and reservoir for controlling flow of liquid from the basin to the reservoir. A controller is coupled with the control valve for at least selectively operating the control valve for controlling the flow of liquid from the basin to the reservoir.
Water reservoirs are used in beverage making equipment to store and heat hot water that will be dispensed over a beverage making substance such as coffee grounds. The flow of water into such water reservoirs is customarily controlled by a solenoid valve located between a pressurized water line and a pour-in basin of the beverage maker. The purpose of this valve is to direct a specific volume of water into the pour-in basin. This purpose is accomplished by connecting the solenoid valve to a timer which opens the valve for a predetermined period calculated to direct the desired volume of water into the pour-in basin.
When an operator initiates a brew, a controller opens a solenoid valve connected to a pressurized water source for a predetermined period of time. Water then flows into the pour-in basin and then into a reservoir. A siphon tube protrudes from a wall of the water reservoir near a top portion of the water reservoir top and communicates a spray head positioned above a brewing basket which contains a brewing substance. When the water reaches the top of the siphon tube, water begins to flow through the siphon tube and out of the spray head onto the brewing substance. At the end of the predetermined period of time, the controller stops the water flow. As the water level drops below the highest level of the siphon tube, water dispensing from the spray head continues due to a siphoning action caused by the difference in height between the spray head and a siphon break point. Flow stops abruptly when the water level falls below the siphon break point.
It is desirable to be able to control dispensing of heated water through the siphon tube and onto the brewing substance. Such control is useful when short bursts of dispensing are used to pre-wet or pre-infuse the brewing substance. Brewers are available to control the dispensing of heated water by placing a solenoid valve along the siphon tube. One problem with such placement is that deposits of lime and other minerals may accumulate in the siphon tube. Placement of the solenoid valve along the siphon tube prevents insertion of a wire brush or spring to remove such deposits because the wire brush or spring cannot be inserted through the valve. As such, the entire length of the siphon tube cannot be cleaned. There is therefore a need for a beverage maker which provides control over dispensing and that also allows for easy and thorough cleaning of the entire length of the siphon tube.
Another problem with currently available brewers is that they rely on water pressure from pressurized water lines being constant. When the water pressure is inconsistent, the solenoid valve will be open for a period during which water is not actually flowing resulting in an improper volume of water being directed into the pour-in basin.
Another issue related to pour-over type brewers is that these brewers typically are not conducive to timed control or brewing., For example, additional brewers which include a reservoir of unheated water which is heated at the start of a brewing process have been connected to time control systems. However, pour-over brewers have not been configured with a timer system. This is because the aforementioned difficulties in controlling the flow of the heated water from the heated water reservoir. In other words, the pour-over brewer is configured such that the basin communicates with the heated water reservoir. When unheated water is added to the basin it flows on a gravity feed basis from the basin to the heated water reservoir. Upon flowing into the heated water reservoir the unheated water displaces the water in the heated water reservoir and pushes it out through a tube connected to a spray head. As water flows through the tube and spray head it is dispensed over the coffee brewing material. For the reasons noted above, it has been difficult to overcome the problems associated with placing a control valve on the outlet of the heated water reservoir.
Briefly, and in accordance with the foregoing, this disclosure provides a brewer with controls to control flow of water flowing into the water reservoir from the pour-in basin and methods of brewing and using the brewer with controls. By controlling the volume of water flowing into the reservoir, the problem associated with inconsistencies in line pressure described above are overcome. The disclosure provides such control while still allowing a user full access into a siphon tube connected to a water reservoir to remove mineral deposits therein. A controller controls a valve communicating with the pour-in basin and the water reservoir.
Additional features of the disclosure will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of embodiments of the disclosed apparatus, methods and methods of using the apparatus.